Apparatus for forming faced concrete blocks



' 1,475,911 c. s. WERT APPARATUS FOR FORMING FACED CONCRETE BLOCKS Nov. 27 1923.

Filed March 15, 1925 3 Sheets-Sheet 1 lill r Nev. 27 1923.

C. S. WERT APPARATUS FOR FORMING'FACED' cbNcRE'rE BLOCKS a Sheets-She et 2 Filed March 13, 1923 gme'ntoz 6.5%rl.

REV, 27 9 31%23.

C. S. WERT APPARATUS FOR FORMING FACED CONCRETE BLOCKS Filed March 13,- 1923 SSheets-Sheei; 3

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Patented Nov. 27, 1 923.

CYRUS S.; wERT, 0F KENDALLVILLE, INDIANA.

APPARATUS FOR FORMING FACED CONCRETE BLOCKS.

Application filed March 13, 1923.. Serial No. 624,794.

T (i all whom it may concern:

Be it known that I, CYRUS S. \Vnnr, residing at Kendallville, in the county of Noble and State of Indiana, a citizen of the United States, have invented certain new and useful Improvements in Apparatus for Forming Faced Concrete Blocks, of which the following is a specification, reference being bad to the accompanying drawings, forming a part thereof.

M Y invention relates to a machine for I110l( ing concrete blocks and has for its object to provide a machine for this purpose which will be adapted for molding a series of concrete blocks at the same time and which will be simple in construction and rapid and efiicient in operation and will be particularly adapted for molding concrete blocks of the size and shape of ordinary building bricks either with or without facing, on one or two .faces, of finer and more resilient material than that of which the main portion of the block is composed. A further object of the invention is to provide a machine in which a series of concrete blocks may be molded on a tray adapted to be lifted out and to serve as a support for the blocks during the curing process. A further object of the invention is to provide a moving front plate for such machine having a portion thereof adapted to move laterally across the front ends of the molded blocks.

\Vith the above indicated objects, and other objects hereinafter described, in view, my invention consists in the combination and construction of elements hereinafter described and claimed.

Referring to the drawings:

Figure 1 is a perspective view of complete machine embodying my invention, the parts being shown in position to receive the tray on which the blocks are to be molded.

Figure 2 is a detail view showing the mechanism for movin the spacing plates backward and forw-ari Figure 3 is a detail view showing the mechanism for holding the tamper in raised position.

Figure 4: is a detail view partly in section showing the guiding means for the sliding partition plates.

Figure 5 is a front view of the mold with the tray in position but with the frontplate Figure 6 is a side view of the mold with the hopper in place ready to receive the concrete mixture. 1

Figure 7 is a top view ofthe mold opened for removal of the finished blocks.

Figure 8 is aside view of the mold with the spacing plate for use in producing faced in producing faced blocks, in front and edge Figure 13 shows the scraper in front and edge views:

Figure 14 is a side view of a portion of the inner face of one of the side bars.

In the drawings, 1, 1,. indicates side bars at the top of the frame of the machine,'supportedby front legs 2, 2, and rear legs 3, 3,

the frame having lower side bars 4, 4, eachsecured to a front leg 2 and a rear leg 3 near their lower ends. Vertical bars 5, 5,each extend from a lower side bar 4 to an upper side bar 1 at points somewhat to the rear of half-way between the front and rear legs, 6, G are diagonal brace rods for the front.

On the upper edges of the side bars 1, 1, are secured side plates 7, 7, b means of vertical posts or bars 8, 9, an 10. To these side plates near their upper edges are secured horizontal bars 11, 11, which extend rearward back of the posts 10, the rear ends of these horizontal bars being connected to the rear legs 3, 3, by inclined brace bars 12. 12.

To the front ends of the side bars 1, 1, is hinged a plate 13 which forms the front plate of the mold. This front plate 13 is connectedby links 131,131,130 :1 bar 132 which is hinged to the side bars 1, 1, and is provided withhandles 133. The links 131, 131, are

plates its ends are in line with the ends of the bar 132-. When the mold has been filled and the hopper removed, the front plate is swung upward and to one side by means of the handles 133 thus moving across the face of the molded blocks for a short distance su sient to disengage the'front plate from a;. portion of the' concrete which may adhere to it and, if the front plate were swung directly away from the blocks, might be pulled away from the ends of the blocks leaving a rough surface which would need to be finished ofi with a trowel. Across the forward portion of the top of the machine and resting on the top bars 1, 1, are supporting bars 14, which are adapted to support the removable tray which forms the bottom of the mold and is provided with a support 16 at each end adapted to extend downward outside the sidebars during the molding operation and to support the tray carrying the molded blocks while they are curing, the supports 16 being of such lengths that one tray may be stacked on another without danger of injury to the molded blocks.

Opposite the hinged front plate 13 is the rear plate 17 extending acrosstthe machine and having a series of slots 18 formed therein extending from its 11 per edge down to the level of the upper ace of the tray 15 when it is in position on the supporting bars 1 1'.

' The rear of the supporting bars 14 and mounted to slide forward and rearward between the side plates 7 7, through the slots 18 of the rear plate 17, is a series of vertical partition plates 20 connected together by rods 21 and 21 screw threaded asshown and provided between the partition plates with nuts 220 and 221 by means of which the partition plates may be firmly clamped and at the same time may be adjusted in position on the rods, The lower edges of thes spacing plates are adapted, when in forward po' sition, to rest on the upper face of the tray 15 when it is in position on the supporting bars 14, with their forward ends against the front plate 13 which is held in elevated or closed position by clamps 22 carried by arms 4 23 pivoted to posts 8. There is thus formed a rectangular mold open at the top and separated into a series of rectangular molds by the partition plates 20, the front of the mold being formed by front plates 13, the bottom by the tray 15 and the rear being formed by the back plate 17. The ends of the mold are formed by the end plates of the series of partition plates which rest against guide bars 24 on the inner sides of the side plates 7.

A hopper or funnel 25 provided at its ends with lifting handles 26 is adapted to fit on the on top of the mold formed as above descrd. The sides 27 and ends 28 of this hopper are formed of sheet metal and. are inclined inward so that their lower edges ar en are adapted to plane off any surplus concrete above the level of the upper edges of the partition plates and front and back plates of the mold, when it is moved across the filled mold. This hopper serves as a guide to receive the concrete mixture and direct it into the mold and is intended to be removed by means of the handles 26 when the mold has been filled and tamped.

In the operation of the machine, the partition plates 20 being in retracted or rearward position, a tray 15 is placed on the supporting bars 1 1 with its supports 16 extending downward outside the side bars 1, 1, and the hinged front plate is swung up and secured in vertical position by the clamps 22. The partition plates 20 are then pushed forward through the slots 18 of the rear plate 17 until their front ends rest against the front plate 13, the rods 21 serving to support the portions of the rear plate between the slots 18, against rearward movement.

- The mold is then ready to receive the hopper 25 and, when this is placed in position, concrete mixture is poured into the hopper until the mold is filled, the hopper preventing overflow of any one section from passin over the sides or ends ofthe mold and facil itating the distribution of the concrete mixture to all of the sections. When themold has been thus filled the concrete is camped preferahlyby a tamper 30 formed in sections 31 corresponding to the sections into which the mold is divided by the partition plates 20. After the ta-mping the hopper is slid off without lifting it and the lower edges of its sides and ends trim off any excess of concrete and leave the tops of the sections even with the upper edges of the partition plates 20. The partition platesare then drawn rearward through the slots 18 of the back plate. The front plateli is '1 then swung laterally on the links 1-31and is then swunv down and the tray with the series of bloc (s on it is lifted oil and carried away to be stacked for curing.

hen it is desired to produce blocks having their front faces provided with a facing, a dividing plate 33 having slots 34 adapted to fit over the partition plates 20 is inserted in:- the mold, before any concrete is introduced, near the. front plate 13 from which it is suitably spaced by strips 35 secured to the dividing plate outside the and partition plates 20. An angle iron 36 secured to the transverse spacing plate serves to stiffen the plate. to space itaway from the front plate and to prevent the entrance of concrete into the space between it and the front plate. Blocks 37 carried by the arms 23 are adapted to engage the rear of the dividing plate and hold it from rearward movement, When this dividing plate is in position, the space back of it is filled with concrete and the main portions of the blocks intointimate union. After this tamping the hopper is slid off, trimming off the excess of concrete as before described. If it is desired to produce blocks havin facing on two faces, the upper surface 0 the main portion and front facing is removed to a depth, preferably, of about one-fourth inch, by a scraper 10 having its edge serrated. as shown at 41 and having deep notches 42 at intervals corresponding to the intervals between the partition plates 20.

The hopper is then replaced and a concrete mixture suitable for facing is poured in and the tamper again brought down to solidify the facing and to force it into intimate union with the block already formed.

While the broad invention as above de scribed is independent of specific mechanism for moving the several parts of the machine,

I prefer to make use of the mechanism hereinafter described.

The partition plates 20, connected together by the rods 21 and 21 are arranged to be moved forward and rearward by levers 50 secured about midway of their length on shaft 51 journalled in bearings 52 secured to the vertical bars 5. The upper ends of these levers 50 are connected in any way convenient with the partition plates, preferably by means of curved arms 53 having their lower ends pivotally connected to the upper ends of levers 50 and having their upper ends embracing the rod 21'. For the purpose of facilitating the reciprocation of the partition plates the rods 21 and 21' on which the partition plates arecarried are themselves carried by side plates 150. These side plates are provided with rollers 151 which travel on a guideway 152 formed on'the inside of the side-bar 1 and the lower edge of this side plate rests on rollers 153 carried on stub axles on the inside of the side bar. The upper edge of the side plate bears against the under surface of rollers 154 carried by the side plates 7. The partition plates are thus provided with roller bearings by which friction is eliminated.

The guideway 152 terminates at its forward end in an abutment 155 and at its rear end it is provided with a stop 157 in the path of movement of the roller 151 which serves to stop the rearward movement of the partition plates. I

An inclined plate 156 secured to the upper edge of the side bar 1 extends upward and bears against the side plate 150 and serves to prevent dirt or particles of cement from falling into the guidewa 152.

To the lower ends of the evers 50 are pivoted links 56, the other ends of which are pivoted to arms 57 secured on a shaft 58 journalled in bearings 59 on the lower side bars 4, 1 near the front le s 2, 2.- On the shaft 58 is secured, at one si e of the front of the machine, an operating lever 60 having handle 61. When this operating lever is pushed rearward the upper ends of levers 50 will swing forward moving. the partition plates into their forward position as above described and by swinging the operation lever forward the partition plates are drawn backward through the slots in the back plates. I

The clamps 22 for the hinged front plate 13 are pivoted on the ends of rods 23 and each comprises a handle 63 and a cam 64 so arranged that on swingin the handle on its pivot the cam will act against the front face of the hinged front plate to force it strongly rearward.

The tamper 30., consists of a series of sections 31 preferably formed integral with a bar carried by arms 71 preferably bent as shown ivoted at their rear ends to the upper ends of the inclined braces 12. Cross brace rods 72 are used to prevent side movement of-the arms 71. The arms 71 extend forward beyondthe bar 70 and are connected by rod 73 which serves as a handle to be grasped to bring the tamper down onto the material in the mold.

To the arms 71 at points about one-third of the distance from the pivots of these arms to the bar 70 are pivotally connected lifting rods 74. The lower ends of these lifting rods are pivota ly connected to arms 75 on a shaft 76 journalled in the rear legs 3, 3, near the lower side bars 4,4. These arms are connected together by rod 77 and at a point about mid way of its length, a tension spring 78 is connected to this rod, the upper end of the sprin 78 being connected to a cross bar 79 here own as secured at its ends to the bars 71. This spring acts to draw the rod 77 and arms 75 upward and, through the lifting rods 7 4, to keep the tamper normally in elevated position but permits it to be pulled down when required to effect thetamping operation. 1

Beneath the supporting bars 14 I provide a removable-tray 140 having a handle 141 and adapted to be supported on ways 142 secured to the supporting frame. This tray serves to catch any cement or particles of pioncrete which would otherwise fall onto the oor..

While the machine as shown is constructed to roduce rectanguar blocks of uniform size an shape, it is obvious that it may be read ily adapted to form a series of blocks difiering in size and differing from rectangular shape. It is also obvious that the inner face of the front plate and the faces of the tamper sections may be provided with a pattern die by which a surface other than plain may be given to the'front orupper face of the block or both.

It should further be understood that I do not desire to be limited to the particular construction or arrangement shown or described as it is obvious that many changes in "construction and arrangement may be made without departing from the spirit of the invention.

Having thus described my invention what I claim is:

1. In a machine for molding concrete blocks, the combination with a supporting frame of a mold carried by the supporting frame comprising a back plate, end plates and a bottom plate, and a front plate hingedly connected to the supporting frame so as to swing downward away from the front of the mold and having the portion thereof which forms the front of the mold movable laterally acros the face of the mold.

2. In a machine for molding concrete blocks, the combination with a supporting frame comprising a back plate, end plates and a bottom plate, a bar pivoted to the supporting frame so as to swing on a horizontal axis and a front plate carried by said bar and adapted to be movable longitudinally thereof across the face of the mold.

3. In a machine for molding concrete blocks, the combination with a supporting frame of a mold carried by the supporting frame comprising a back plate, end plates and a bottom plate, a bar pivoted to the supporting frame on a horizontal axis, and a front plate connected to said bar by links adapted to permit said front plate to swing longitudinally of said bar across the face of the mold.

4. In a machine for molding concrete blocks, the combination with a supporting frame of a mold comprising a bottom, end plates, :1 front'plate, and a back plate provided with a series of vertical slots, and a series of partition plates slidable through the slots of the back plate into and out of I position over the bottom of the mold, rods carrying said partition plates, side plates supporting the ends of said rods and aids rollers carried by the supporting rame adapted to support the side plates and permit the partition late carried by them to move freely to and from their position over the bottom of the mold.

carrying said partition plates, side plates supporting the end of said rods and guide rollers carried by the supporting frame adapted to support the side plates and rmit them to move freely to and from tlizir position over the bottom of the mold, and stops carried by the supporting frame for limiting the movement of the side plates and the partition plates carried by them.

6. In a machine for molding concrete blocks, the combination with a supporting frame of a mold comprising a bottom, end plates, a front plate and a back plate pro- -vided with a series of vertical slots, and a series of partition plates slidable through the slots of the back plate into and out of position over the bottom of themold, rods carrying said partition platesysideplates supporting the ends of-said rods and uide 1o ler carried by the supporting rame adapted to support the side plates and permit-them to move freely to carry the partition plates to and from their position over the bottom of the mold, and means for reciprocating the partition plates comprising curved arms engaging one of the rods carrying the partition plates and operating levers connected with said curved arms.-

7. In a machine for molding concrete blocks, the combination with a supporting frame of a mold comprising a bottom, end plates, a front plate and a back plate pro ries of partition plates slidable through the slots of the back plate into and out of position over the bottom of the mold, rods carrying said partition plates, side plates sup-' porting the ends of said rods and guide rollers carried by the supporting fratne adapted to support the side plates and permit them to move freely to carry the parti tion plates to and from their position over signature.

CYRUS S. WERT.

'100 vided with a series of vertical slots, and a se- I 

